Procurement changes are a welcome step towards government contracts requiring good unionised jobs

The government has announced changes to the way it will run central procurement with the stated aim of driving growth across the country and creating British jobs.

Businesses bidding for government contracts will be judged: on their commitment to creating high-quality British jobs, tackling local skills shortages, and supporting young people into apprenticeships and work placements.

Mike Clancy, General Secretary of Prospect, said

“UK government contracts should support good unionised jobs in the UK, and this is a welcome step towards that aim.

“Too often in the past we have seen important defence work in shipbuilding being given to overseas companies, or energy projects that deliver clean power but no clean jobs.

“A country serious about industrial strategy simply cannot allow this to continue, and we welcome this early step from the new Prime Minister as a signal of intent about his reindustrialisation agenda.

“Any company trying to win UK government work, whether in defence, energy or tech, should hear the message that unless they are creating good jobs, they aren’t going to win the work.”